Guarding Children Against Evil

As a young girl in Jamaica growing up I learned all sorts of old wives’ tales about protecting babies and children from duppies aka ghosts. Most Caribbeans believe that evil spirits tend to befriend little children because of their innocence. For the evil spirits they become pathways into the earthly sphere.

Have you ever observed a baby in in his/her cradle smiling and cooing for no reason or even crying while looking off at a particular area of the room?

Many elders believe this is due to spirits visiting upon the little innocents. When we are young and innocent, we come into the world with infinite gifts, such as seeing beyond the natural world. Babies have this gift, even up until they are sensible children.

In Jamaica, it was customary for mothers to lather their babies’ skin with olive oil and healing oils to keep away evil. Some mothers would dress their babies in red all the time or tie red bows all over their cradles and cribs. Apparently the color red seems to scare apparitions away.

What I have learned over the years is, not all people who coo and laugh with children are well meaning individuals. This is why in some cultures new mothers refrain from taking their babies out in public until they are baptized, christened or blessed.

It is said, if a child is not purified by God that the evil eyes can put the kibosh on their young lives. So many times people handle children, laughing and touching them and in their minds they are jealous and harboring ill-will regarding the child/children or their parents.

These are one of the reasons why I am often very timid to handle other people’s children, because I am mindful of bringing any negativity towards them. I believe sometimes when children disappear or really horrible things happen that it can at times be created by evil thoughts from people within the friendship or family circle.

Personally, I feel people should still continue the folk remedies that protect their children from unsavory characters and evil thoughts. Some cultures believe in placing several mirrors in their children’s rooms, others believe in blessing them with spit and there is also the option of using the evil eye to deflect people’s ill willed thoughts right back to them.

The bible tells us what we often wish for another comes back to us multiplied. Therefore, it is a good and noble practice to wish others well at all times…..